Knife sharpening device

ABSTRACT

A knife sharpener for the manual sharpening of knives that includes a knife clamp member having first and second clamping members, a guide member that defines upper and lower guide members, and a base member. Each upper and lower guide member includes a plurality of apertures sized and shaped for receiving a guide rod that includes a sharpening stone. The knife clamp member further includes embodiments assuring the knife blade is held securely and positioned between the first and second clamping members in the same position in which the knife blade was installed the last time it was sharpened.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims is a continuing application of and thus, claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/590,486 which is filed on May 9, 2017 which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Pat. No. 62/333,587, filed May 9, 2016, with title “Knife Sharpening Device” which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related generally to knife sharpeners, and more particularly, the present invention concerns knife sharpeners with clamping members having embodiments to correspond with the knife in order to assure the blade is being held firmly and in an exact repeatable position.

2. Brief Description of Prior Art

Knife sharpeners are known for aiding in the manual sharpening of blades. In one commercially available design, a knife blade is clamped between two clamp members and a sharpening stone is guided along the edge of a blade by a rod member secured to a sharpener stone holder and in communication with a guide member. However, this prior art sharpener clamp has some deficiencies. One major problem is that it is virtually impossible to clamp a knife blade between the two clamp members in the same position on the knife in which the knife was installed the last time it was sharpened. The distance between the guide edges of the flange and the cutting edge of the knife blade may be different. The position of the holder lengthwise of the blade may also be different. The holder may be at a slightly different angle relative to the blade. Even when the difference in the position of the holder from the last sharpening of a particular knife is relatively small, sharpening nonetheless requires grinding a new edge with a different angle to the surface of the blade and removing a relatively large amount of blade material. Consequently, sharpening takes a relatively long time, and each sharpening reduces the life of the blade. This is the general deficiency that the present invention is intended to address.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A knife sharpener for the manual sharpening of knives. The sharpening device includes a knife clamp member that includes first and second clamping members, a guide member that defines an upper guide member and a lower guide member, an upright support and a base member. A clamping member adjustment is used in order to engage the first and second clamping members into a clamping position with the apparatus to be sharpened. The upper guide member upwardly extends from the knife clamp member and the lower guide member downwardly extends from the knife clamp member, the lower guide member in communication with the base. Each upper and lower guide member includes a plurality of apertures sized and shaped for receiving a guide rod that includes a sharpening stone.

The first clamping member further defines at least one aperture that corresponds and mates with an equal number of protrusions on the sleeve member, the sleeve member sized and shaped for receiving the knife blade. In application, when the sleeve member is clamped between the first and second clamping members, mating the at least one aperture with the corresponding protrusions, and tightening the screws and thumb screw will assure the sleeve member with the knife blade therein is held firmly and in a reproducible position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the present invention, a knife sharpening device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the upright support attached to the base member according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a second alternate configuration for attaching the upright support to the base member according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the knife sharpening device shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exploded top view of the distal end of the knife clamp member with a sleeve member positioned therein according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exploded bottom view of the distal end of the knife clamp member with a sleeve member positioned therein according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the guide member according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a sleeve member and corresponding knife with knife blade according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is top and side view of a chainsaw blade sharpening attachment according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is back and side view of a knife sharpening attachment according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11A is front view of an adjustable guide according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11B is a top view of an adjustable guide according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a guide plate according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a collapsible upright body according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a guide plate recess according to an embodiment.

FIG. 15 is hole configurations according to embodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates the sleeve according to embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is directed to a knife sharpener for the manual sharpening of knives. The present knife sharpening device defines embodiments designed to assure a knife blade is being held firmly by the sharpener device and in an exact repeatable location. In the broadest context, the knife sharpening device of the present invention consists of components configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to obtain the desired objective.

Referring to the drawings, a knife sharpening device 10 according to the preferred embodiment is shown. The sharpening device 10 generally includes a knife clamp member 15 that includes first and second clamping members 20 and 25, a guide member 30 that defines an upper guide member 32 and a lower guide member 39, an upright support 35, and a base member 40.

A clamping member adjustment is used in order to engage the first and second clamping members into a clamping position. As illustrated, the knife clamp member 15 includes a pair of screws, designated as numerals 17A and 17B. Each of the pair of screws 17A, 17B downwardly extend through apertures 22A, 22B, respectively, in the first clamping member 20 and are each threadably received in a pair of bores 27A, 27B of the second clamping member 25. It should be noted that in operation only one screw 17A or 17B will be engaged during operation, with 17B being utilized for larger bodied blades.

As illustrated, the pair of screws 17A, 17B in application, are parallel with a length L (see FIG. 4) of guide member 30, and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 5. As further illustrated, the knife clamp member 15 is parallel with the longitudinal axis 5, and therefore perpendicular to the length L of guide member 30.

The knife clamp member 15 preferably includes a thumb screw 19 that vertically extends through an aperture 21C in the first clamping member 20 and is received in a tapped bore 29 of the second clamping member 25. As will be understood, the pair of screws 17A, 17B as well as the thumb screw 19 for fixedly clamping a sleeve member 50 between the first and second clamping members 20, 25 to prevent the sleeve 50 from moving therein. The sleeve member 50 contoured for frictionally receiving a knife 70 having a blade 71 to be sharpened.

As illustrated, the upper guide member 32 upwardly extends from the knife clamp member 15 and the lower guide member 39 downwardly extends from the knife clamp member 15, with a ledge 33 therebetween. The guide member ledge 33 seats on the pins 35B on the upright support 35 which is joined to the base member 40.

Each guide member 32 and 39 includes at least two (2) columns of apertures 45 sized and shaped for receiving a guide 60 that includes a sharpening stone 61. As best shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, and as is known in the art, by inserting the guide rod 60 in different apertures 45 the angle A (illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5) of the sharpening stone relative to the knife edge 71 can be changed. Once the proper angle has been selected, the guide rod 60 will maintain the sharpening stone 61 at a substantially constant angular orientation relative to the knife edge 71 during the sharpening process.

As illustrated, each of the plurality of apertures 45 essentially have straight upper and lower sides and rounded ends. More specifically, aperture 45A (see FIG. 7) includes straight lower and upper sides 46 and 47, respectively, and rounded ends 48 and 49. All of the apertures 45 are preferably identical. The elongated aperture sides 46 and 47 can be of any desired length so as to permit the sharpener stone 61 to provide a desired range of operation when the guide rod 60 has been inserted through the proper aperture 45 and the sharpening stone 61 is caused to laterally traverse the knife edge 71.

The upright support 35 may be integral to the base member 40 or separate and appropriately attached. As illustrated in FIG. 3, guide member 30 may be joined with upright support 35 and connected to the base member 40 using a screw 41 that is threadably received in a bore 36 disposed at a lower most end 35A of the upright support 35.

Referring to FIG. 2, base member 40 may define a notch 42 sized and shaped for releasably receiving a defined end 37 of lower guide member 35. Defined end 37 includes a catch 38 that aligns with and is received within a defined lower portion 43 of notch 42.

Referring again to the knife clamp member 15, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the first clamping member 20 further defines at least one aperture 21 which in application, will correspond and mate with an equal number of protrusions 51 on the sleeve member 50. The sleeve member 50 including a slit 52 that is sized and shaped for receiving the knife blade 71 or apparatus to be sharpened.

In application, when the sleeve member 50 is clamped between the first and second clamping members 20 and 25, mating the at least one aperture 21 with the corresponding protrusions 51 (and tightening either screw 17A or 17B and thumb screw 19 as described) will assure the sleeve member 50 with the knife blade 71 therein is held firmly and in a reproducible position.

As illustrated, the at least one aperture 21 and corresponding protrusions 51 having an oval or circular configuration, however, the apertures 21 and protrusions 51 can be of varying shapes and sizes.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the sleeve member 50 preferably defines first and second upper protrusions designated as numeral 51A, 51B disposed on an upside 53 of the sleeve 50 that are received in the corresponding apertures 21A, 21B disposed on the first clamping member, and a single protrusion 51C disposed on a downside 54 of the sleeve 50 that downwardly projects through the corresponding aperture 21D of the second clamping member 25. Again, the sleeve member 50 having corresponding protrusions with the apertures of the first and second clamping members.

As should be understood, the benefit of the defined sleeve member 50 with at least one protrusion and corresponding apertures in the first and second clamping members not only assures that the sleeve member 50 with knife blade 71 is held securely but the sleeve member 50 with knife blade 71 is also held in a repeatable position which assures the knife blade 71 is being positioned between the first and second clamping members in the same position in which the knife blade was installed the last time it was sharpened. As a result, the embodiments of the present invention assures the knife blade can be precisely clamped in the exact position as previously honed ensuring the same precise angle of the knife blade's honed area is maintained.

As best shown in FIG. 4, first clamping member 20 defines a first length L1 that extends from a distal end 20A of first clamping member 20 to the ledge 33 of the guide member 30 such that the opposite end 20B of the first clamping member 20 abuts the front end 33A of the ledge 33. The second clamping member 25 defines a length L2 that extends from a distal end 25A of the second clamping member 25 and extends through a slot 33B in the ledge 33 such that an opposite end 25B of the second clamping member 20 abuts with the surface 31 of the guide member 30. The second clamping member 25 may include a screw 26 that vertically extends through an aperture on the opposite end 25B of the second clamping member 25 and is threadably received in a bore disposed in the ledge 33. In the alternative (shown in FIG. 4), the screw 26 may vertically extend through an aperture in the ledge 33 and is threadably received in a bore 25C disposed on the opposite end of the second clamping member.

As such, the second clamping member 25 is fixed to the guide member 30 and the first clamping member 20 configured to fasten to the fixed second clamping member 25. In application, the sleeve member 50 is positioned to the first and second clamping members as described and the first clamping member 20 is tightened to the second clamping member 25 with the screw 17A, or 17B and thumb screw 19.

As illustrated, the sleeve member 50 defines a slit 52 that is sized and shaped for receiving the knife blade 71. Preferably, the slit 52 is custom made to frictionally receive the knife blade 71 and varies according to the shape of the knife blade. As illustrated, the slit 52 defines a slit length 54 that further varies according to the knife blade 71.

As should be understood, the benefit of the defined sleeve member 50 assures that the knife blade held within the sleeve member 51 and the sleeve member 50 are in a repeatable position which assures the knife blade is being positioned between the first and second clamping members in the same position in which the knife blade was installed the last time it was sharpened. As a result, the knife blade can be precisely positioned in the exact position as previously honed ensuring the same precise angle of the knife blade's honed area is maintained.

2-Piece Sleeve (FIG. 10)

An alternate embodiment of the sleeve 50 (see FIG. 10) is an adjustable two-piece sleeve which can accept blades of varying thickness. The sleeve has a top half 50A and a bottom half 50B which mate together by protrusions 58 projecting from the blade contact side into apertures 59 on the receiving sleeve bottom half 50B. This allows of blades of various thicknesses to be accepted by a single design sleeve. Alternatively, both the sleeve top half and the sleeve bottom half could have both protrusions and receiving apertures. The sleeve will conform to the blade clamping jaws or other portions of the blade sharpening apparatus in a manned that enables the sleeve 50 to be repeatedly and precisely positioned in the clamps in the same spatial position relevant to the clamps.

In some embodiments, a sleeve 50 designed to mate within a slit 52 on the sides 71 and/or spine 72 of a blade in such a manner as to be repeatedly and precisely repositioned after removal and reinsertion of the blade into the sleeve slit 52 with the outer portions of the sleeve 56, 57, 55 having one or a combination of depressions, extrusions, holes, or appendages which mates to the downward clamping jaw of clamp 20 and upward clamping jaw of clamp 25 having depressions, extrusions, holes, or appendages which mate/conform to those on the outer surface of the sleeve 56, 57, 55 in such a manner that the sleeve can be repeatedly and precisely positioned in the clamps in the same spatial position relevant to the clamps.

Alternatively, or in combination with the above embodiments, the back or spine of the sleeve 55 can mate to, conform to or rest against the back inner portions of the clamping jaws 20, 25 or another part of a blade sharpening apparatus in such a manner that it can be repeatedly and precisely positioned in the clamps in the same spatial position relevant to the clamps.

Alternatively, or in combination with the above, the sleeve 50 can mate to or be attached to other portions of the knife sharpening apparatus which enables repeatedly and precisely positioning of the sleeve in the same spatial position relevant to the knife sharpener device.

Chainsaw Blade Sharpener Attachment (FIG. 9)

An additional embodiment is an attachable/detachable chainsaw blade apparatus 100, which attaches to the ledge 33 (see FIG. 1) of the guide member 30 by means of a protrusion 101 which is received in an aperture 34 in the ledge 33. The chain blade sharpener 100 is projected an appropriate distance from the guide member plate 30 by an extension arm 102, the chainsaw blade guide teeth insert between two appropriately spaced plates 103, 104 which by means of a lever 105 on a screw shaft 106 which can be adjusted to compress the blade plates 103, 104 to apply tension on the chainsaw blade guide teeth. Attached to the extension arm 102 is an extension arm 107 upwardly extending which has a horizontal pin 108 through and beyond the distal end of the extension arm 107 with the expose portion of the pin 108 having the capability of supporting an indexing lever 109 with an end of the indexing lever loosely wrapped around the horizontal pin 108 with the distal end of the pin 108 enlarged to secure the indexing lever 109 between the distal end of the pin 108 and the extension arm 102.

Adjustable Guide Plate (FIGS. 11A & 11B)

An additional embodiment is an adjustable guide member comprised of two upright columns 120A, 120B connected to the 33 (see FIG. 1) ledge with a screw 125 with the two upright columns having a groove 121 running the length of the column which allow the guide member 32A, 39B to slide inside the groove. The guide members 120A and 120B have a hole 122 on the distal end of each guide member which can correspond with holes 123 on the upright columns 120A, 120B enabling a pin 124 to be inserted through the front hole in the upright columns 120A, 120B through the hole 123 in the guide member 32A, 39A and through a hole 123 on the opposite side of the upright columns to secure the guide member. The pinning 124 can be accomplished via a variety of methods such as a spring-loaded pin or a screw pin. The guide member can be adjusted upward or downward on both ends of the to enable the operator to obtain the desired honing angle. A slit 125 in the guide member allows insertion of the honing stone rod 60 (see FIG. 1).

Cutout for Chisel and Hatchet (FIG. 12)

An additional embodiment is an aperture opening, 45B, in the guide member 30 to allow for the insertion of a chisel or small hatchet through the aperture in the guide member 30.

Decreasing Hole Sizes (FIG. 12)

An additional embodiment is decreasing aperture heights of aperture opening 45 in the guide member to minimize guide rod 60 vertical movement as the guide rod angle in relation to the clamp jaws 20, 25 decreases.

Collapsible Upright Support (FIG. 13)

An additional embodiment is a collapsible upright support 35 which utilizes a hinge 130 connected to each upright support 35 by a screw, pin 132 or other attachment mechanism and to each base 40 by a screw, pin 131 or other attachment mechanism. Support for the hinged upright support is provided by a support arm 133 which hinges 135 in the middle and downward when collapsing and is attached at the end of the hinge 133 to each base 40 by a screw, pin 134 or other attachment mechanism and to each upright support 35 by a screw, pin 136 or other mechanism.

Recessed Guide Member (FIG. 14)

FIG. 14 is the figure for the claim.

Additional Holes in Clamps (FIG. 15)

An additional embodiment is the added apertures in the clamps 20 and 25. Additional apertures include 21E and 21F in clamp 20 to provide for additional placement of the sleeve 50. Additional apertures include 21G, 21H, 21I, 21J to provide for added placement of the sleeve 50.

Pocket Knife Sleeve (FIG. 16)

An additional embodiment is a pocket knife sleeve. Many blades are not of sufficient size to clamp onto the blade, either with a sleeve 50 or without a sleeve. The following embodiment facilitates the sharpening of small knives by clamping onto the handle of the knife. The sleeve 140 is sized to slide over the handle of a blade 144 on three sides 147, 148 and 149 and partially on the fourth side 142 and 143. The sleeve 140 is designed so as the base of the blade handle 146 will seat on ledges 141 and 141A. The blade 145 will protrude through the open end of 150. The distal end apertures on the clamps 20, 25 will seat on the protrusions 51A, 51B and 51C, enabling the handle sleeve, blade handle and blade to be repeatedly and precisely positioned in the same spatial position relevant to the clamps and knife sharpener device.

Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustration of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. As such, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

It would be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Plus the scope of the invention should be determined by the dependent claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

I claim:
 1. A knife sharpening device comprising: a knife clamp, a guide, an upright support, a base, and a sleeve that defines a slit contoured for frictionally receiving a knife having a blade, said knife clamp being configured such that said sleeve is selectively received within the knife clamp to fixedly secure the knife blade therein when the knife clamp is closed.
 2. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein said sleeve member defines first and second upper protrusions that are received in corresponding first and second apertures disposed on said distal end of said first clamping member, and a single protrusion downwardly projecting through a corresponding third aperture disposed on said distal end of said second clamping member.
 3. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member and is threadably received in a clamp bore disposed in said ledge.
 4. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said ledge and is threadably received in a bore disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member.
 5. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one tightening screws pass through an aperture in said first clamping member and are threadably received in a bore disposed in said second clamping member.
 6. The knife sharpener of claim 5, further defining a longitudinal axis, and wherein said at least one tightening screw is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.
 7. The knife sharpener of claim 6, further including a thumb screw that vertically extends through a thumb screw aperture in said first clamping member and threadably received in a tapped bore of said second clamping member.
 8. The knife sharpener of claim 7, wherein each of said apertures in said at least two (2) columns of apertures have straight upper and lower sides and rounded ends.
 9. The knife sharpener of claim 8, wherein said guide member is seated on the upright support and joined with said base member using a base screw that is threadably received in a lower bore disposed at a lower most end of said lower guide member.
 10. The knife sharpener of claim 8, wherein said base member defines a notch sized and shaped for releasably receiving a defined end disposed at a lower most end of said lower guide member.
 11. The knife sharpener of claim 10, wherein said defined end of said lower guide member includes a catch that aligns with a defined lower portion of said notch.
 12. A knife sharpening device comprising: a knife clamp, a guide, an upright support, a base, and a sleeve that defines a slit contoured for frictionally receiving a knife having a blade, said knife clamp being configured to clamp said sleeve member when the blade is fixedly secured therein, wherein said knife clamp defines a length that extends from a distal end of the knife clamp and extends such that an opposite end of said knife clamp abuts a frontal surface of the guide, and wherein said opposite end of said knife clamp is attached to said guide such that said knife clamp is fixed to said guide and to tighten to said second clamping member.
 13. The knife sharpener of claim 12, wherein said sleeve member defines first and second upper protrusions that are received in corresponding first and second apertures disposed on said distal end of said first clamping member, and a single protrusion downwardly projecting through a corresponding third aperture disposed on said distal end of said second clamping member.
 14. The knife sharpener of claim 12, wherein said guide member includes an upper guide member and a lower guide member, and wherein said upper guide member upwardly extends from said knife clamp member and said lower guide member downwardly extends from said knife clamp member.
 15. The knife sharpener of claim 12, wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member and is threadably received in a clamp bore disposed in said ledge.
 16. The knife sharpener of claim 12, wherein a clamping screw vertically extends through a clamp aperture disposed in said ledge and is threadably received in a bore disposed in said opposite end of said second clamping member.
 17. The knife sharpener of claim 12, wherein each of said apertures in said at least two (2) columns of apertures have straight upper and lower sides and rounded ends.
 18. A sleeve comprising: a body configured to receive a blade of a knife, the body configured to include at least one of the group of depressions, extrusions, holes, or appendages which mates to the downward clamping jaw of a clamp, wherein the body is designed to receive the blade using the at least one of the group in such a manner that when the blade is repeatedly reinserted the into the sleeve slit, the blade is positioned in the same location each instance. 